Bulletin Board Ideas for Toddlers

Exploration

• An exploration-themed bulletin board that includes multiple textures, colors and patterns can provide toddlers with a hands-on approach to learning. This child-centered bulletin board encourages young children to touch and manipulate the different bulletin board display items. Start with a vibrant visual display using bright primary colors (red, blue and yellow). Add patterns with colors, lines or shapes to provide further visual interest.

  Use a variety of textured arts and crafts materials that lend themselves to tactile experiences. Try very fine-grain sandpaper, fabric, felt, craft foam, corrugated paper, metallic paper/foil, cotton balls or tissue paper. Glue these materials to the bulletin board in the form of large shapes. For a special effect, create a peek-a-boo space where a textured material flap covers a picture or deign. Place the board at child level to initiate exploration. Always use non-toxic and child-safe materials. Avoid using staples or anything that may pose a choking risk.

All About Me

• Toddlers are developing a growing sense of self. By 2 years of age, a child should be able to recognize herself in a drawing or photograph. Encourage self-discovery and recognition by creating an "All About Me" bulletin board. Start with a blank bulletin board covered with a solid colored paper. Add stenciled words that read "All About Me" or even just "Me".

  Ask parents to send in photos of their children. Tape the photos to the board with each child's name placed nearby. Turn this self-concept bulletin board into a themed or seasonal display by grouping the photos into a special design such as a haunted house for Halloween or a Christmas tree during the holidays. Simply use large pieces construction paper to create the themed background design (such as the house or tree), and add the photos on top with clear tape.

Seasons

• Create a season-themed bulletin board that will help the growing toddler to become more aware of his surroundings. Toddlers are capable of understanding the weather changes that occur between spring, summer, winter and fall. Celebrate each new time of year with a brightly colored season display.

  Think of easily identifiable objects and scenes for each new season. A spring-themed board may have plants or green trees, a summer board can be designed to look like the swimming pool, a fall board can be filled with changing leaf colors, and winter can be represented with fluffy white snow. Use basic arts and crafts materials such as butcher paper (for the background), construction paper, markers and stencils to construct a seasonal visual display.

Alphabet

• It is never too early to learn the ABCs. Toddlers may not be completely ready to read, but developing early literacy skills is essential to future school success. Build an alphabet bulletin board to help with basic letter recognition skills. Cover the entire board with a solid colored paper. Use large stencils (at least 6 inches tall) to trace and cut out all of the letters in the alphabet. Tape the letters onto the board in order starting at "A."

  Choose a letter each day, and ask the toddlers to say the letter's name and make its sound. Introduce a few vocabulary words that begin with the letter. Write these onto a separate piece of construction paper with a marker, and post them onto the board for the day. Repeat with a different letter each day.